


First Date

by EscapingReality51



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, First Date, Fluff, M/M, Mostly Fluff, some awkwardness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-10-09 16:09:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10415931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EscapingReality51/pseuds/EscapingReality51
Summary: Robert takes Aaron on their first, real date.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smittenwithsugden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenwithsugden/gifts).



> Based on a prompt from @smittenwithsugden on tumblr, where Robert takes Aaron out on a date.

“Are you sure about him, love?” 

Robert stopped in his tracks and Chas’ voice drifted through the hallway to the pub. 

“How many times, mum,” Aaron insisted, and Robert’s heart clenched - he didn’t want to eavesdrop, but he didn’t want to interrupt the conversation, “I want this - Robert’s been great to me these past few months, been there for me when I needed him the most.” 

“If he hurts you again,” Chas began, but Aaron cut her off.

“I don’t think he will.”

“If he does,” Chas insisted, and he heard Aaron sigh, “don’t think I won’t make his life hell.” 

“I know, but please, let me give it a try. Let me be happy, even it that means being with him.”

Robert shook himself out of his reverie, and walked through to the backroom of the pub. He walked in to find Aaron leaning against the shelves, and Chas sitting on one of the dining chairs. Aaron’s eyes lit up as soon as their gazes met, and Robert gave a small smile.

“Hiya,” he said, and Aaron smiled at him.

“Right on time, then,” he joked, looking at the clock on the wall; 6:56 p.m. He looked amazing, wearing a tight grey t-shirt under a black hoodie. They had agreed to keep it casual. 

“Didn’t want to be late, sorry,” Robert conceded, and Aaron shrugged. 

“No worries, I’m ready to go,” he said and looked at his mother, “don’t wait up, yeah?”

“I won’t,” she said, giving Robert a look before smiling at her son, “have fun you two.” 

“Thanks,” Robert added, moving to let Aaron lead the way out. 

They walked in silence to Robert’s car, Robert’s nerves getting the better of him. The unease in his stomach, the sweating in his palms, the inability to form coherent sentences was foreign to him, and most certainly caused by his taking Aaron on their first date. 

The silence didn’t break until Aaron got into the passenger’s seat and looked over at Robert. 

“Right, where are you taking me?” he asked jokingly, and Robert felt his lips go up in a smile. 

“Surprise, isn’t it,” he said, turning on the engine and setting off. “Don’t worry, I think you’ll like where we’re going.”

Aaron nodded and leaned back in the seat, staring out at the road ahead of them, the vast expanse of darkness slightly illuminated by the street lamps and Robert’s headlights as they drove past. Robert turned on the radio with one hand, absentmindedly flicking through channels as he drove, trying to find something to fill the silence.

“You alright?” Aaron asked, and Robert nodded quickly, settling on a vague pop song from a few years ago. “You don’t seem it,” Aaron paused, eyeing Robert with an amused look on his face. “You nervous or something?” 

“No…” Robert started, but Aaron let out a small laugh.

“Robert Sugden, nervous at the prospect of a meal.” Robert felt a blush rise to his cheeks, and feigned indifference.

“I never said that,” he said and glanced over at Aaron, who was looking at him suspiciously, “I’m not nervous, just … hope you’ll enjoy yourself.” 

“Just get us there safely, and I’m sure I will.” 

They passed the sign for Hotten, and Aaron’s eyebrows rose as Robert stopped outside a quite fancy-looking restaurant. 

“What’re we doing here?” Aaron inquired, and Robert held a hand out to lead him to the entrance. 

“Well, this is my favourite restaurant in Hotten,” Robert began, a step behind Aaron as they approached, “it serves the best steak in the area, but don’t tell Vic that, yeah?” 

Aaron nodded, but looked skeptical. They walked inside and the waiter asked for their reservation, leading them to a small table for two in a corner of the room. As soon as they got the menus, Aaron gave Robert a stern look.

“Thought you said we were keeping it casual,” he admonished, and Robert felt his stomach surge. 

“This is casual,” Robert began and Aaron scoffed, “I just wanted to have a proper meal, one not prepared by members of our family.” Robert glanced around, before placing his hand on top of Aaron’s. “I wanted to spend time with you, alone.” 

Aaron bit his lip and Robert felt his hand shift to accommodate Robert’s, their fingers lazily intertwined on the table. 

“Alright,” Aaron said quietly, and Robert smiled, “would be good to get away from the packed back room of the pub, Liv causing trouble, mum needing a hand behind the bar.”

“Good,” Robert said, and opened the menu, his fingers missing Aaron’s already. “Now, find something you’d like, anything, it’s on me.”

They perused the menu for quite some time, Aaron occasionally meeting Robert’s eye and giving a nervous smile before they both ended up ordering a steak with fries, and Robert couldn’t resist ordering an expensive bottle of wine. Aaron grimaced slightly at the first sip, but the subsequent shrug he gave must have meant that he didn’t exactly mind it, and Robert smiled to himself. Maybe, just maybe, this could work.

“So,” Robert began, and Aaron looked at him warily, “how was your day?” 

Aaron guffawed, “really? You want to hear about my day?” 

“Well, yeah,” Robert said. Aaron nodded and bit his lip, and Robert could never understand how this man thought he was unappealing; he was the pinnacle of endearing and sexy and enticing and lovable. Robert had been lost to him far quicker than he would ever admit.

“Was alright, I guess. Worked with Adam, up at the yard, had lunch with Liv and mum at the pub… Had an issue with a client though, you might think it funny…” 

Robert listened intently to Aaron’s story of a client who thought a pick up had been one place, when it had been ordered somewhere else, and Adam had tried to reason with him, even though he isn’t the most patient and service-minded person, but the real beauty of the story was Aaron’s face lighting up, his smile the dominating feature, the worries of the trail erased, and Robert’s eyes traced his face, taking in every quirk of his eyebrows, every shrug of his shoulders as he spoke. It was a glorious thing, seeing Aaron at ease, and maybe even happy.

“... in the end, Adam even admitted he wished he had some of your business know-how, and I’ll never stop teasing him for that.” 

“I bet you won’t,” Robert joked, and Aaron grinned.

“What about you?” Aaron asked kindly.

“Nothing much happened, to be honest. Nicola was a pain, Jimmy had indigestion, and I haven’t seen you all day, so not the best of days,” Aaron smiled at that, and Robert felt his leg press against his own under the table. 

The touch grounded him, made Robert suddenly realised that they have never talked about what they are, and he tensed, just enough that Aaron noticed. His eyebrow shot up questioningly, and Robert froze.

“Alright?” 

“Yeah, I am… of course I am,” Robert said unconvincingly. 

“What?” Aaron’s voice was deeper this time, serious, maybe even worried.

“I just,” Robert began and sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I just feel like I’m doing this all wrong.”

“What d’you mean, this?” Aaron queried.

“This. Us. Our date..” Robert trailed off as he saw the surprise on Aaron’s face at the words. 

“A date? I never thought about it like that.” 

“I’m wearing my leather jacket, and the jumper I know you like,” Robert started and Aaron stopped him.

“Yeah, I know you look great, but I just figured we were going out, together, to test the waters… see what happens.” 

“Oh,” Robert said, his shoulders falling in disappointment. “I thought you knew, when I asked you out, that I wanted to take you out…” 

“I should’ve thought that far, I mean, we did say we were going to do this,” Aaron said, placing a hand on the table for Robert to touch - he did, but only briefly. “I just didn’t think you wanted this.” 

“I do, Aaron,” Robert insisted, and Aaron remained motionless.

“D’you want to leave?” Robert asked tentatively, and Aaron shook his head.

“Nah, I’m glad to have you on your own for once.” 

Robert smiled, and their food arrived.

The steak was excellent, the conversation easy and comfortable, and by the end of the night they had finished the bottle of wine and walked closer to each other than they would have otherwise as they exited the restaurant. When they got to the car, Aaron stopped before getting in, turning towards Robert.

“We’re doing this, aren’t we?” Aaron said, looking up at Robert with his striking blue eyes, “we’re really doing it?” 

“Doing what?” Robert asked, and Aaron bit his lip and gave a small shrug, a gesture that was so  _ Aaron _ it made Robert’s heart surge. 

“This,” Aaron said, “us.” 

Robert swallowed, his hands in his pocket, and he felt one of Aaron’s hands rest on his arm. 

“If you want to, I mean, I still do, and...” 

“I want this,” Aaron conceded, and Robert grinned, his stomach fluttering. 

Aaron leaned in, and before Robert had the chance to register it, they were kissing. It was soft, but still more intense than it had been before the trail, more like a promise of something to come than it was before. Robert felt Aaron’s lips move under his own and pulled his hands out of his pockets, placing them on Aaron’s waist and pulling him closer.  

It felt new, a whole new relationship, and Robert deepened the kiss, moaning slightly at the feeling of Aaron’s stubble against his skin as their tongues met. Aaron was intoxicating, and for the first time in a long time, Robert let himself want him, drawing him in, feeling the muscles in his back, nipping as his lower lip and relishing in the reaction. 

Aaron drew away, and the cold air on Robert’s lips intensified the absence of his lips.

“We should probably take this back to yours or something,” Aaron whispered against his skin, and Robert grinned.

“You sure?” Robert tested, and Aaron kissed him, quickly and wantonly. 

“I’m sure, and I know we both want to,” Aaron said, moving to pull himself away, but Robert didn’t want to let go.

“Wait,” Robert said, and Aaron paused. “I do want this, but I need you to know that, I want it all. I want you, and it’s going to be different this time. I don’t want to hurt you, and I’ll do my best to try and make you happy.” 

Aaron smiled at him, and Robert felt the world around him shift. This was all he needed.

“I know,” Aaron kissed him again, this time softly, sweetly, reverently, “now let’s get back home, yeah?” 

Robert swallowed, and nodded.

“Yeah, let’s get back.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it :)
> 
> Come and find me on tumblr: escapingreality51


End file.
